☆03. soulmate? what the hell?
▃▃▃
[ACT. 1]
« I only believe what I see. »
.
.
.
.
.
WAKING UP WAS PAINFUL and weird for the girl, who struggled to get out of bed. She half-opened her mouth when she noticed that the yellow paper was still stuck in her hand...
She'd been holding it all night. Besides, it was probably the worst night of her life. After getting ready, Nana went downstairs and headed for the front door. However, she was stopped by her mother.
"Aren't you going to eat anything?"
She had asked from the kitchen. The teen sighed and turned back. She smiled falsely and clutched an apple.
Her smile disappeared and she left the house.
The walk to the school was also the worst she'd ever had to make. Her stomach ached terribly, as if her organs were writhing between them.
Stress really does take its toll... With her hands in her pockets, Nana still felt the paper she'd brought with her. It was the ultimate proof that everything was real.
As the heroine entered the school, her heart began to beat like yesterday. It was an unpleasant sensation, but the last thing she needed was to seem strange in front of all the students.
Pretend everything was fine, at least until the end of classes. That's when she'd get the answers to her questions.
"Nana!"
The girl turned and saw Junko. She turned around and continued walking, as if nothing had happened. "H-Hey!? Wait!"
Junko grabbed her shoulder firmly, stopping Nana in her tracks. She was forced to turn and confront the brunette.
"Good morning, can I help you?"
She seemed offended by her cold, haughty tone.
"Actually... Sorry about yesterday, I didn't know the..."
She didn't even dare finish her sentence.
"It's okay, I was high as fuck."
Nana smiled falsely again and went on her way.
Even if it were true, would they believe her? It's hard to know, because sometimes people only believe what they see.
Suddenly, the protagonist stopped abruptly. There were a lot of students in the corridors but... She spotted a figure a few meters away who had nothing to do being among the others.
"Sunghoon?" She whispered, paralyzed. The ghost shook his hand, encouraging her to come.
"What are you doing?"
She briefly stared at her friend, but when she looked back in the boy's direction, he was gone. All of sudden, Nana couldn't help but exclaims.
"Who were you looking at?" The teen shook her head and came back to her senses.
"Nevermind, see you in class, I'll be right there!" She took off like a rocket, leaving Junko alone.
"Oh... She's dropped something." The young woman picked up a small yellow piece of paper.
The heroine stopped running, breathing hard. Sunghoon had disappeared among the mass of students, and she was discouraged until she heard a suspicious noise coming from a small room.
She winced and looked around to make sure no one had noticed her, then entered the local.
It was a dark room where cleaning products and mops were kept. No one ever came in here, so...
He must surely have been hidden there.
Her hypothesis was soon to prove true. The boy appeared behind her and whispered a "Boo!"
"What the fuck!?"
She'd yelled. The skater moved away as she tried to catch her breath.
Nana was as scared as ever, but now she was convinced that what she was experiencing was real. Sunghoon was back in front of her, a big smile on his face.
"Oh gosh... It wasn't a dream. You're really here."
"How have you been since yesterday? Did you sleep well?"
Silence enveloped the room, the heroine was stoic and uncomfortable, refusing to answer him. Sunghoon tapped his foot, rolling his eyes.
"Um. Hello?"
"...Since everything's true, I think talking to me like we're friends is inappropriate. I'd rather call an exorcist than be there with you."
"Listening to me is a good solution too! I've been stuck here for months and finally I've found an opportunity to rest in peace!"
"Okay."
She examined every part of his almost transparent body.
She'd never imagined the most popular boy at school like this... Transparent, ghostly, but also immature and irritating.
Still, Nana felt a little pity for him and decided to put her fear aside for a moment.
"You know, it wasn't such a bad idea to bring you here."
"The sooner you explain everything to me, the better I'll be able to help you and forget all about it."
"So! I know why you can see me and... I needed to talk to you about it."
"...Sure."
She slowly approached him and nodded, letting him know she was ready to listen.
"Well—"
He opened his mouth but silence reigned one more time in the cellar for at least 15 seconds, making the heroine confused.
"...Yeah?"
She had repeated, stopping that awkward silence.
"Yeah..?"
"Speak up?"
"I don't know how to say this, okay!?" He was literally blushing. As for Nana, she remained confused and a bit scared.
"Hurry, what's the matter? Why can I see a fucking ghost?"
"I think... Something binds us together, something that's more powerful than what binds me to my family or friends."
"We don't even know each other personally. What are you thinking?"
She looked at him, wearily. At her reaction, Sunghoon snapped his fingers, as if waiting for this question.
"It's paradoxical but I think..." Once again, he was prolonging the suspense, which irritated the young woman.
"Can you explain this shit quickly?"
She glanced at her watch, it would be ringing soon.
"Nana."
He stealthily approached his former classmate.
"Back up—"
"You're my soulmate."
The protagonist's eyes rounded. For an almost eternal second, the two characters scrutinized each other intensely. The unease was growing between them.
"Soulmate? What the hell?"
"It's all been written. You're my soulmate, destined to save me—"
"Bullshit."
She clutched the door handle abruptly.
"Hey, no wait!"
The boy took her hand but releasing it, swearing in pain.
"...What the hell just happened?!"
"Hurts like a bitch!"
He waved his hand as if to make a nonexistent pain go away in Nana's eye. Frightened, she looked down at her hands.
"Did I do that? Do I have another superpowers?"
"Not at all."
He massaged his hand as he explained. "I'm just not supposed to touch humans."
"Holy shit... What my life is becoming?" She rubbed her face, still not believing what was happening to her.
The bell rang throughout the school, announcing the start of classes. Sunghoon sighed and looked at the student.
"Meet me in the gym afterwards."
She slowly nodded and ran out of the cellar, her heart still racing.
The day had passed so slowly... Nana was waiting for just one thing: Find Sunghoon in the gymnasium. That was her only concern.
During her last lesson, the heroine was doing her best to not sleep. Almost slumped over the table, she listened to the teacher while thinking about Sunghoon's condition. Suddenly, a hand patted her shoulder.
"Are you okay?"
Junko whispered and Nana nodded vaguely "Usually when you're in chemistry class you draw, but right now... You look stressed."
"I'm a little bit tired but I'm fine."
The protagonist huffed sharply and slumped again.
A few minutes later, just as she was starting to drift off to sleep, the same hand tapped her shoulder again. Her eyes snapped open and she turned her head to face Junko.
"I'm really sorry about yesterday, it's sucks. You weren't well and I made fun of you, but it won't happen again. I promise!"
Even if it wasn't because of her that Nana felt anxious, she was still glad that her friend was apologizing. This time, she gave a genuine, gentle smile.
"Thanks. Don't worry, I'm good."
Junko smiled back, reassured.
"By the way... Did you take your meds? Maybe that's why you're tired."
She had asked, out of context.
"Shit... I'll get them later."
Nana covered her mouth, distraught. All this events had made her forget the most important thing.
"You shouldn't forget, you're supposed to take them every day. Until the—"
"...End of my life, I know. Sounds like my mom."
She giggled.
Once it was over, Nana rushed out of the classroom in a hurry. She abruptly said goodbye to Junko before running to the gymnasium.
She checked her surroundings carefully, and when she heard no more noise, she went inside.
The young woman stood motionless in front of the ice rink, watching Sunghoon. He was dancing on the ice and, as usual, it was an incredible spectacle.
Ghost or not, he was beautiful.